GOD, YOU MUST HAVE HAD A DREAM ONE
TIME … what was it? Was it to have a Son
that would be the apple of Your eye … the delight of Your heart? Was it to wrap Divinity in humanity and then
plan such a simply stellar entrance to earth that while simple in some ways, it
could not be denied in other ways? Was
it to strategize such a priceless ransom for the sins of mankind, that it
demanded payment – not the kind that costs a little, but the very lifeblood of
Your one and only precious Son in exchange for our freedom? Was it to effect such a distinct change in
this fallen world You had created perfect, that You would pull out all stops
because You were not giving up on Your dream for us? Were WE part of Your dream one time long
ago? And were our dreams that You would
place in our hearts - a part of Your much bigger dream? God-given dreams are powerful, after
all! Much more powerful than we even
realize. Borrowing a line from a gal
named Lisa Diane, I want you to know that “dreams
have NO expiration date”! Your
dreams should not diminish or die. If
God indeed birthed the dreams you have inside you – and you have spent time
fleshing them out and growing them, they should not just disappear or evaporate
into thin air – or just end. Lisa Diane has
an incredible story to tell: once the little girl of a daddy who was a teacher
and a preacher, who along with her mom worked harder than hard and sacrificed
more than she would ever know, just so the children could have what they
had. And that wasn’t much. So she dreamed. She dreamed she had more. She imagined herself living in an
out-of-this-world house on a peninsula overlooking the water in a gated area
with a guard. She would go there after
school every day as a teenager, and sit … and look … and dream. Fast forward twenty years. By this time she had already started her
little home business and ended up making enough money to live in some pretty
fantastic homes – some were even on the water – like she had imagined. But in time she was looking for a new place
to live, and her own house had already been sold. She had searched and searched until she
almost wore out her realtor looking for just the right place to call home! Someone gave her a tip about a home he
thought would be just perfect for her, but she laughed, thinking she had
already seen them all, but said she’d go check it out. He gave her the address, which was the name
of that development she had dreamed about years ago – but things had changed
and now there were many houses in a nearby community. Finally, asking a mailman about the address
she was looking for, he explained that it was not here – but in a big-gated
community out on the peninsula. She said
she could feel the hair standing up on the back of her neck. Approaching the gate, she gave the guard her
info – and he directed her down the street to an amazing home right there on
the water. She said she walked in the
doors and she KNEW she was home. It was
HER HOUSE … the one she had been waiting for since she was sixteen years old –
just as she had imagined, views and all!
She moved into that house 10 days later.
So the point of this story is – dreams don’t have expiration dates! Like Lisa said, some dreams take a matter of
minutes … some take months … some take twenty years (like her house), but they
are all possible. We’ve been dreaming
and searching and waiting for what seems like a long time now for God’s home
for Elevation North. We have gone there
and dreamed ... sat there and looked. It
has seemed beyond us, yet we have felt led to check it out and pursue it. From the moment of being birthed, Elevation
North has always been a part of powerful dreams that God has given us. In some of our toughest struggles to survive,
without being prompted or asked, people from the outside have searched us out,
called us, wrote or e-mailed us, and sent us sizable love gifts that have
always come at just the right time and kept our dreams alive to cultivate God’s
Kingdom work on this earth – in this place.
People, we are now 10 days out from our first rent check being due in
this place we’ve dreamed of. We need a
miracle for this dream to become a reality, but we dare not give up on our
dreams, Elevation North family. We feel
this dream deep inside our spirit ... it’s a story just waiting to be
told! Our dream is to lead as many
people to the Pearly Gates as possible, with God’s help. God’s Word is filled with stories of dreams
He gave to His people down through the ages, and now the Dream-giver that He is
… He is writing out OUR story. Let’s
keep the faith!
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
BIRTHDAY WISHES go out to Christian on November 25th
and to Deondre on the 28th!
May God bless and guide you both!
A SPECIAL WELCOME to Dana & Stacey, Whitney, Matt, Emma, and Dylan who are worshipping with us today!!!
SUN, NOV 25: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP/Kick-off Message for the Christmas series, “THE AMAZING EMMANUEL!”
Joyfully Serving Christ . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie
A SPECIAL WELCOME to Dana & Stacey, Whitney, Matt, Emma, and Dylan who are worshipping with us today!!!
SUN, NOV 25: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP/Kick-off Message for the Christmas series, “THE AMAZING EMMANUEL!”
SUN, NOV 25: 10:30 A.M. –
KIDZONE CHILDREN’S CHURCH with Verla
& Kelly, who will bless your children as they learn!
WED, NOV 28: 7:00 P.M. –
MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY in the book of James at 905 El Dorado Street SE in
Owatonna!
THU, NOV 29: 7:00 P.M.
– MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY in the book of James at 165 24th Place NW in
Owatonna!
SUN, DEC 02: 10:00 A.M.
– PRAISE & WORSHIP/Message – Part 2 in the Christmas series, “THE AMAZING EMMANUEL!”
PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . . Tina, Isaac, several unspoken needs,
reaching the lost, our nation & leaders, our missionaries
REMEMBER . . . “Father God, pour out Your Spirit, that we might
see visions and dream dreams, that many might be saved!"
Joyfully Serving Christ . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie